Anomalous mercury in near-bottom water of a Mid-Atlantic Rift valley

Carr, R. A.; Jones, Matthew M.; Russ, Emily

doi:10.1038/251489a0

Cited by 26 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 1 publication

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“…2. In the absence of selenide in IM KOH, the etch rate, ic, confirms the dissolution stoichiometry of six electrons per GaAs molecule found by Harvey (10). This factor was used to convert weight loss to current.…”

supporting

confidence: 77%

Stable Semiconductor Liquid Junction Cell with 9 Percent Solar-to-Electrical Conversion Efficiency

Chang¹,

Heller²,

Schwartz³

et al. 1977

Science

108

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supporting

confidence: 77%

Stable Semiconductor Liquid Junction Cell with 9 Percent Solar-to-Electrical Conversion Efficiency

Chang¹,

Heller²,

Schwartz³

et al. 1977

Science

108

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“…Mercury occurs naturally in Shetland waters in relatively high concentrations (Carr et al 1974;Davies 1981), and there are no obvious anthropogenic sources. The mercury content in the regular food species of otters such as Zoarces viviparus, Ciliata mustela, Pholis gunnellus, Myoxocephalus scorpius and others (Kruuk et al 1987;Kruuk & Moorhouse, 1990) in Shetland was 0 05-0 14 ppm wet weight (means per species, with maximum level of 0 26 ppm; G. Topping, pers.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, no data have been published on other natural and anthropogenic causes of death, and their effects on otters of different age. In Shetland waters, relatively high concentrations of mercury are known to occur naturally in fish populations (Carr, Jones & Russ 1974;Davies 1981), and because of the toxicity of mercury compounds to otters and other wildlife (Wren 1986) its role in otter mortality in Shetland could -be important.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mortality of Otters (Lutra lutra) in Shetland

Kruuk¹,

Conroy²

1991

The Journal of Applied Ecology

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JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.. British Ecological Society is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Journal of Applied Ecology. SUMMARY(1) A sample of 113 dead otters Lutra lutra L., collected in 1984-88 in Shetland, was analysed for cause of death, body condition, age, and the presence of some organochlorines, PCBs and heavy metals.(2) Although 54% of the sample had died of non-natural causes (42% road-mortality), this figure was an artefact of the sampling method, and natural, non-violent mortality was most important.(3) Proximate causes of non-violent mortality were various; most deaths occurred during times of low food availability (spring).(4) Mortality increased linearly with age from year 1 onwards, and the mean adult life expectancy was 3 1 years.(5) Concentrations of DDE, dieldrin (HEOD), lindane (BHC), Cd and Pb in livers were considered insufficient to have contributed significantly to mortality.(6) Mercury occurs naturally in Shetland inshore fishes on which otters feed; its concentration in the liver of otters increased with age. Almost 40% of otters of 5 years old and over had accumulated enough mercury for potential sublethal or lethal effects. There was no correlation between mercury and selenium, and it was unlikely that selenium alleviated the effects of mercury.(7) Concentrations of PCBs were high enough to have had possible sublethal effects in some otters.(8) The results suggest that food shortage was most probably the ultimate cause of death in most otters in Shetland, with the effects of mercury and perhaps PCBs as contributing factors.

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“…Shaw (1954) and others found, using enzymes and a range of organisms from protozoa to fish, that the toxicity of metals always follows this sequence. Author Hosohara et al 1961Carr et al 1974Hosohara, 1961Fitzgerald et al 1974Carr et al 1972Smith et al 1971Fitzgerald & Lyons, 1973Chester et al 1973Leatherland et al 1973Chester et al 1973Chester et al 1973Chester et al 1973Gardner, 1975Gardner, 1975Gardner, 1975Gardner, 1975Gardner, 1975Gardner, 1975Leatherland et al 1971 Gardner & Jones, in his studies with Gasterosteus (1939) and Polycelis (1940) appears to have initiated the search for physicochemical characteristics of metals that correlate with their toxic effects upon aquatic organisms. He found that toxicity increased with the standard electrode potential ('solution pressure') of the metal.…”

Section: Relative Sensitivity With Other Bioassaysmentioning

confidence: 99%